OK... Are you sitting down? ... Do I hear a drum roll in the background?! ... I have just returned from the Post Office and your HSTs have been mailed. .... I have all the tracking numbers, so if you would like for me to PM you yours, I'm happy to. I mail do a mail merge with your email address and send it to you that way. (If I can remember how!)

A word to those of you who put stamps on yours and a tracking number. Your tracking number has changed. My post office had to process all of those with stamps on them. SO, please order your prepaid envelopes from the Post Office EARLY in your swaps so you will have them when the time comes to ship them for the return.

I looks to me like you all should get them on Wednesday. Please let me know when you do. I used up almost a whole roll of packaging tape on the envelopes hoping they would all arrive in tact.

I enjoyed hostessing the swap and participating in it. I hope you did too. .... I'll wait until Wednesday to get mine out and play with them on the Design Wall so I'm not ahead of the game. Even though many of us got different HSTs, we need to post some pictures after Wednesday in the media section.

Yeah Roxana!! I can hear a whole band playing here in PA. (Although I think it might be the HS marching band practicing their routine.) Thank you so much for taking on this swap. I'm sure it wasn't easy to organize. You have done a wonderful job sticking to the deadlines and getting things mailed. I'm so excited to see what is coming. You're the best. We couldn't have done it without you!! You ROCK. (Still hear the beat from the drums?)

Oh my, oh my, oh my - how did I miss this post??!!! They're coming on Wednesday? Well, that's....TODAY!!! And darn, I'll be busy with two different meetings in town and won't be home until supper time. Dang, how will I keep my mind on these other things when I'll be daydreaming about HST quilts?

You can probably tell that I'm not in the least bit excited! Thanks for the heads up, Roxana.

On the banks of the Mississippi River in north central Minnesota (Brainerd lakes area)

It was what I needed to get through today. Morning was a thoughtful and moving Remembrance program at the Garden of reflection. My daughter, Jenn, spoke. She was only 11 when we lost Joshua. Now she is his age. It has been a difficult few months for her. She is the keynote speaker tonight at the Garden's "From Darkness to Light" candle light service. She has prepared a very moving speech for tonight. We are so proud of her. Her brothers have spoken as well as Gary and I at previous services, but she wanted to this year. Josh would have told us not to get mad, but get even and ive our lives to the fullest. He did, every day.

Judi, I'm so glad you had a bright spot in your mail today or all days. I didn't realize that's when they would arrive until I left the post office and saw the date. I immediately thought of you and hoped the PO projection was right.

Have a blessed day.... My thoughts are with you and your family, but now, I'll especially think of Jenn this evening.